Learning and Growing

The John Cosby workshop was fabulous. I felt like I learned a lot and it was very productive. The way he works involves premixing the four main value colors on his palette before making a mark on the canvas. He then tones the canvas quickly with a little paint and a lot of turpentine (he recommends Gamsol as less toxic than most). Then with a dark value he starts sketching in his composition. He likes to make sure that there are lots of elements which lead in to the main subject (focal point). I just loved watching him paint - it was magical. In fact I loved it so much that I twisted my husband's arm into buying me the demo painting I fell in love with for our upcoming 30th anniversary. Who needs another piece of jewelry when you can have art? During the workshop I painted quite a few paintings and was happy with all but the last 2. I suspect it was a combination of being tired after 5 days of painting all day (actually a half day watching John paint and a half day painting each day), the dreary weather that day, and being bummed that the workshop was almost over. Here are the paintings I did at the workshop. One of them already sold on DPW.

"Bull Creek Falls" 11x14 oil on canvas on board

"Bull Creek Chute" 9x12 oil on canvas on board

"Twin Track" 9x12 oil on canvas on board SOLD

"Wildflower Field" 9x12 oil on canvas on board

"Old Indian" 9x12 oil on canvas on board

"Writer's Cabin" 9x12 oil on canvas on board

 

 

I feel that these last two are really unfinished and they both need a lot of work. Perhaps one day I will feel like going back to them and trying to finish them properly. They were both rushed as we tried to beat a rainstorm in the morning and time just ran out in the afternoon.